Earlier this year, when Ra Ra Riot unleashed their third full-length record, Beta Love, we must admit that we were somewhat apprehensive about their sudden synth pop indulgence. To make such a polarized transition away from their intimate orchestral tunes was surely a shock that many longtime fans were forced to gradually grasp. But we, as have Ra Ra Riot's faithful, have come to appreciate this new, effervescent feel, and all it required was a live Beta Love experience.

We caught Ra Ra Riot's brilliant spectacle down in Austin, Texas during Conflict of Interest's night at Hype Machine's Hype Hotel, and Beta Love skeptics beware, as our video of their entire performance can (and will) make a fan out of the most cynical synth adversary.

We have forgotten so much since then The scent of your breath again Or maybe it's the way we fell don't fall Stop looking out to pretend Everything is still there We have forgotten so much since then The scent of your breath again Or maybe it's the way that we fell Don't fall stop looking up Pretending this is not What it might have come from The tide or your luck She'd have said it's cruel I only cared about the Things that you don't Anything that's right We had much more Anything worth losing Pleasing you When I look in your eyes What am I supposed to do When I look in your eyes When I look in your eyes We have forgotten so much since then The August light on my hands Is it the tone we defend Don't fall stop looking up 'Cause still I had a thought A day couldn't tell The weight or a change The way that we are I can't tell if I'm asleep or awake Anything that's right Pleasing you When I look in your eyes What am I supposed to do When I look in your eyes All right, all right When I look in your eyes Oh what am I Supposed to do What did I do I could tell you were there Lying awake and aware I'm feeling I got no Sense of what's left or gone What's left or gone Gimme something to leave with The feeling that you're not mine We're feigning words in the place Of people we used to know When I look in your eyes What am I supposed to do When I look in your eyes All right, all right When I look in your eyes Oh what am I supposed to do What did I do, do, do, oh, oh. This body that I own It's got no use anymore But to go to rack and ruin, oh This body that I own I can't tell you what it's for I can't tell you, I can't tell you, no Alone in my room... Why, tell me why I wanna read you with this binary mind 'Cause if I do, I'm sure that we'll be complete Oh, that's why I need this binary mind So I can forget how lonely feels This body that I own Is giving up a thank you for The information given me, oh I, Oh, I found This body that I own Is part of everything I've learned, it's gone, why, why, why? If they don't mind, no, why, tell me why I wanna read you with this binary mind 'Cause if I do, I'm sure that we'll be complete Oh, that's why I need this binary mind So I can forget how lonely feels I don't know why you've gone It's a technocratic future world Though it's only time ahead But alone in my room It don't matter, Just prepare my release Why, tell me why I wanna read you with this binary mind 'Cause if I do, I'm sure that we'll be complete Oh, that's why I need this binary mind So I can forget how lonely feels So I can forget how lonely feels 'Cause if it's falling apart, it's falling apart And if I don't, I don't agree I won't let that stop this, no I won't let that stop This is falling apart I won't let that, though I don't This body that I own This body that I own Oh have I been too discreet How long am I supposed to wait I think about you nightly Oh can you tell I'm losing sleep Oh what am I supposed to do It's hard to stay cool Oh when you smile at me And I get nervous every time you speak My bed's too big for just me When you turn your eyes I promise I won't care Or standing by your sister fair Oh baby baby baby please My heart sinks to my feet What am I supposed to do I think about you nightly My bed's too big for just me When you turn your eyes I promise I won't care Oh standing by your sister fair Oh standing by your sister fair Oh standing by your sister fair When I look in your eyes I tend to lose my thoughts Don't forget your stare Oh what was that you said Would you let me know 'Cause I can't read your mind Oh can you tell I can't even explain Oh baby, I can't even explain What am I supposed to do It's hard to stay cool When you smile at me And I get nervous every time you speak Oh, standing by your sister fair Oh, standing by your sister fair Oh, standing by your sister fair Emotional oh, despair I've had enough, Gone through this whole affair Oh what a shame To misuse Oh, I won't lie, I see it as self-abuse You will save your best I will do the same Through this wilderness Oh, wild friend, don't share the pain I feel it's wrong When I complain A cold night all over this again I wanted that time I never could stay Committed though all over this I know You will save your best I will do the same Through this wilderness Oh, wild friend, don't share the pain Oh apologize Let it feel oh oh, oh oh alive I don't owe enough of what's due to ya But I'll always hope You will save your best I will do the same Through this wilderness, the hole that wild friend don't share the pain Oh I must admit I had a good day Oh I must admit I had a good day It wasn't that great But if I start to move because I'd rather be given to wonder Why don't you stay here? But on the contrary, I live in lonely beds So lonely, so lonely Come and dance with me Pretty sweet fool I wanna be your toy, I wanna be your toy, Come and dance with me, pretty sweet fool I wanna be your toy, I wanna be your toy, Oh I most, I mostly wish I had it that way Oh I most, I mostly wish I had it that way That would be great I'd be so up for it, You wouldn't slow me down I always want to put in another minute I could run far, though it's all the same If you want, we could try today Come and dance with me, pretty sweet fool I wanna be your toy, I wanna be your toy, Come and dance with me, pretty sweet fool I wanna be your toy, I wanna be your toy, I wanna be your toy, I wanna be your toy, I wanna be your toy, I wanna be your toy, I wanna be your toy, I wanna be your toy Come and dance with me Pretty sweet fool, I wanna be your toy, I wanna be your toy Come and dance with me, pretty sweet fool, I wanna be your toy, I wanna be your toy Oh, ooh, Oh, ooh, Oh, ooh, Oh, ooh, Oh, ooh, Oh, ooh, When every little thing You own is looking back at you And starts to mean Less than it ever did On every On every inch of stone Skin and cloth made to leave you Here you are you are breathing life into Ghost under rocks like notes found In pocket coats of your fathers Lost and forgotten All, all, all your soaking wet dreams You've spent them You have gone and dreamt them Dry, now you ask your babies why, why, why We're gripping seats and plots Pleading to honored lots To give us this much more Safe from a cutting shear On every On every inch of stone Skin and cloth Made to leave you Here you are breathing life into Ghosts under rocks like notes found In pocket coats of your fathers Lost and forgotten All, all, all your soaking wet dreams You've spent them You have gone and dreamt them Dry, now you ask your babies why, why, why, why Well, if you can't decide Whether you either weep or moan You waste a year to mull this through Anyway you wanted to Oh, but you could have had Turn it into broken good Taken off the side of it A cut up and a parasol A pair of them you found along Maybe never to again As if it never was at all Lifting you up as an offer Up as an offer Here you are you are breathing life into Ghost under rocks like notes found In pocket coats of your fathers Lost and forgotten All, all, all your soaking wet dreams You've spent them You have gone and dreamt them Dry, now you ask your babies why, why, why, why Golden light, turned all white If I run to you, would you stay? I might be a prototype, but we're both Real inside Would you take me up this time? Would you take me up this time? 'Cause I'm gonna find that place the way That I want I will find my beta love When I find my beta love You will be my beta love My beta love Now we're getting closer In this hole, I believe You can't tell me no, it's no dream In this city of robot hearts, Ours were made to be You'll take me up this time You'll take me up this time I was made in that place, no way to deny I will find my beta love When I find my beta love You will be my beta love My beta love Now we're getting closer Oh, oh, oh, ah My beta love When I find my beta love You will be my beta love My beta love Now we're getting closer Be my beta love When I find my beta love You will be my beta love My beta love Now we're getting closer Close to you When I have once or twice Thought I lived my life Oh oh oh I'll wake up in a thousand years With every ghost I'm looking through I was a cold, cold boy Hey! Oh when I lie with you But when I go back through Why, I, I When it's gone and you hope That your mind's made up Oh I wake up twenty thousand years With every ghost of what I knew I was a cold, cold boy Hey! Oh when I died with you But when I go back Why, I I was a cold, cold boy Hey! Oh when I said to you That I'll go back Oh why why Thank you guys so much. Running around here I don't know why You're running around alone Oh I know With my friends Who needs one more With white blood I do I do I do Oh, oh, oh I do Oh, oh, oh I do Oh, oh, oh I do Oh, oh, oh I do Oh, oh, oh I have Tried to command But you fought back Oh what for? Oh what for? Who wants a human love? A death trap? A suicide club? I do I do I do Oh, oh, oh I do Oh, oh, oh I do Oh, oh, oh I do Oh, oh, oh I do Oh, oh, oh I do Oh, oh, I do oh, oh, oh I do oh, oh, oh I do oh, oh, oh I do oh, oh, oh Oh, oh I shut off I shut off Oh, oh I shut off I shut off I shut off I shut off, oh, wo, wo Thank you guys so much. Thanks a lot. We had a great time on this wild ride. We'll see you soon. Good night.

Artist Bio

Combining indie rock with chamber pop flourishes (courtesy of a small string section), Ra Ra Riot formed while the band's six members were attending college in Syracuse, NY. Milo Bonacci (guitar), Alexandra Lawn (cello), Wesley Miles (keyboard/vocals), John Pike (drums), Mathieu Santos (bass), and Rebecca Zeller (violin) first came together in January 2006, creating an eclectic sound that allowed them to play alongside the Horrors, Bow Wow Wow, and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin within a year of the band's formation. After pulling up stakes and relocating to New York City, the band recorded a self-titled EP and prepared to release it during the summer of 2007. That June, however, Pike died after disappearing one night from a party in Fairhaven, RI. His body was later found in nearby Buzzard's Bay. Several weeks later, the mourning bandmates issued a statement confirming their continuation as a band.

Ra Ra Riot joined the roster at V2 Records later that year before switching their American operations to Barsuk Records, who signed them in May 2008 and released their debut album, The Rhumb Line, in August. Reviews were positive, and Ra Ra Riot spent the better part of a year on the road, where they toured with bands like Death Cab for Cutie and headlined their own performances as well. During a lull in their schedule, the musicians decamped to a peach orchard in upstate New York, where they spent several weeks writing songs and recording demos. Those songs eventually made their way onto The Orchard, Ra Ra Riot's second album, which appeared in August 2010.